I Want A Divorce

************

The news playing on the television was the only sound that could be heard in the dimly lit house. At the side of the ostentatious living room was a modern kitchen connected to a dining room.

It features an open floor plan where the kitchen area seamlessly flows into the dining area without a physical barrier like a wall.

Sitting on one of the dining chairs was a woman dressed in simple homeware. Right in front of her was a table decorated with lavish dishes enough to make one's stomach rumble and mouth water.

But still, there was no one aside from the woman to share the feast. Long gone was the smile Mei Xing wore about two hours ago.

She took a reluctant glance at the passage leading to the house entrance, thinking something or rather, someone would be standing there.

No one.

With a sigh, Mei Xing picked up her phone on the dining table and decided to send a message to her husband- whom she had been waiting for. But she paused when she saw the series of other messages she had sent.

All were read with no reply.

"I'm tired of this," Mei Xing whispered as she tried to force down a sob. "I can't continue like this."

Frantically packing up the dishes, Mei Xing placed them in the refrigerator and headed to her room up the stairs.

Mei Xing has been married to the Feng family for two years. Being the wife of the CEO of the top five companies in Beijing, people thought that she had lived a marriage filled with bliss, love and material comfort.

However, behind closed doors, the prying eyes and waiting cameras, the marriage was nothing but shackles. To define the bond between her and Feng Houyi, her husband could be treason.

All her life, she has been raised and trained to be the perfect wife for any man she would come to marry and she has done nothing but that for Feng Houyi.

But she got nothing in return. She has been disrespected, given cold shoulders and no interest, aside from sex, from her husband.

Today would mark their marriage anniversary. Traditionally, it was for both couples to celebrate. But just like the previous year, Feng Houyi chose to be absent.

Mei Xing stayed awake in their shared bedroom, waiting for Feng Houyi to arrive to confront him. The clock ticked through seconds, minutes and hours on end still no Feng Houyi.

It was in the wee hours of the morning that Feng Houyi strolled into the room. Just as he began undressing himself, and getting ready for bed, Mei Xing woke up.

"Where were you?" She asked in a low and calm voice, her back facing him.

Feng Houyi paused then retorted, "What?:Are you going to start nagging me now?"

"I don't... I don't want to nag you, Houyi. Heck, I don't even want to argue with you. So please just answer the question. Where were you?"

"I was at a meeting and it ended late. I finally landed a deal on a project I have been aiming to get. So I went out to celebrate with friends and colleagues," Feng Houyi explained- not a single ounce of guilt in his voice.

"Business. It's always business," Mei Xing sighed, irking Feng Houyi.

"What's that supposed to mean, woman?"

Abruptly sitting up from the bed, Mei Xing fired, "It is just has you've heard, Houyi. Don't you get it? You missed our marriage anniversary."

Taking a deep breath, she continued. "Fine. You landed a big deal you've always wanted, that's great. But would it have hurt if you had come home for 'us' to celebrate it along with 'our' anniversary? Or to do something as simple as even sharing the news with your wife?"

"Why are you so mad about it? I forgot today was the date of the anniversary. I'm only human after all and I am allowed to forget things," Feng Houyi raised his voice, his eyes wide and almost bloodshot from both alcohol and anger.

"Oh, that's all BS and you know." Mei Xing pointed out, "I left you missed calls, voicemails and even text messages, which you read by the way, so don't give me that crap about being human. Why didn't you reply and tell me you'll be late? And you're a married man for heaven's sake, act like it. Stop frequenting the club with your unmarried playboy friends!"

"That is not possible. I choose whether or not to hang out with my buddies."

"Well, too bad you can't. It's your words against you, Houyi. And I'm sick of playing pretend happy wife when in reality, behind the scenes, there is nothing like that at all. You treat me as if I'm not even your wife," Mei Xing said.

"Then what do you want from me, woman? What the fuck do you want?"

"I want a divorce!" Mei Xing said at the top of her voice.

"What?" Feng Houyi narrowed his eyes at her. "What did you just say?"

"I said I want out. Out of this house, out of your life and most precisely out of this sham of a marriage."

Feng Houyi scoffed, adding a slight raise at the side of his lips. Mei Xing tilted her head as she tried to think in what way any of the words she just said could be considered funny.

"You want a divorce?" Feng Houyi repeated.

"You heard me right the first time. I can't endure this treatment any longer. I'll-"

"Don't be so full of yourself, Mei Xing. Do you think you can leave this marriage for good? You wouldn't even last long before you come crawling and begging for me to take you back. Why should I waste my time giving you a divorce when it won't stand?" Feng Houyi smirked- arrogance brimming out of him.

"Go back to sleep to get your head cleared," he further dismissed her.

"Now I know how high you've got your head in the cloud," Mei Xing shook her head as she eyed him with anger. She stood and walked towards the door, leaving her words trailing behind her. "By tomorrow, my lawyer will contact you to get this divorce up and running. I'm done putting up with you."